Fitness
Best Resorts and Hotels in Mexico to Get Away From the Crowds
A simple Mediterranean-meets-Mexico design defines the hotel. Hammocks sway on the dock, and kayaks and paddleboards rest on the shore, available to borrow. Casa Cenote is a 3-minute walk from the hotel. Take a dip in the bright turquoise swimming hole, and you might also spot Panchito, a passive crocodile. When you do want to visit Atila, a notable natural wine bar, or Hartwood, where fresh seafood is cooked over a wood-fire grill, order a cab to take you to the neon-lit, thrumming tropical forest that is today’s Tulum.
7. Thompson Zihuatanejo
Where: Zihuatanejo
On Mexico’s Pacific Coast, Thompson Zihuatanejo is a luxe-yet-laidback 56-room hotel where rooms, each individually designed, have Oaxacan clay light fixtures, local artwork, and a neutral palette accented by earthy tones. The hotel’s newly renovated villas boast private plunge pools and terraces ideal for buyouts to reunite friends or family. Go windsurfing on the gentle waves of Playa La Ropa or relax at one of the hotel’s three pools. You can also enjoy mezcal tastings on your balcony or hit the beach club. There’s always something going on, from barbecues to DJ sets. If you’re here on a Thursday, head to Zihuatanejo, where eateries celebrate “Pozole Thursdays,” serving the hearty Mexican stew often alongside mezcal.
8. Montage Los Cabos
Where: Los Cabos
Where better to get scuba certified than Cabo? You’ll be spoiled on your first open-water dive because the underwater universe here is teeming with hundreds of species of colorful fish. There are also sea turtles and manta rays, and a large variety of whales and dolphins. Montage Los Cabos, a five-star, 39-acre resort on the shores of Santa Maria Bay, recently launched a dive center through Compass Sports, becoming the first resort in Cabo to have a PADI-certified dive program. Guests can take classes in the resort’s pool and, if you want, you can knock out your certification in three days, embarking on shore and boat dives. Those already certified can take specialty courses like digital underwater photography lessons and go on a night dive, witnessing bioluminescent plankton.